Durgesh Pitches AP As Emerging Hub For Entertainment Tourism
The minister inaugurated the expo, visited various stalls and interacted with industry representatives
VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh is positioning itself as one of India’s most attractive destinations for entertainment and tourism investments, tourism, culture and cinematography minister Kandula Durgesh said on Tuesday.
Speaking as the chief guest at the 24th Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI) Expo at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, the minister invited national and international investors to explore opportunities in the state’s fast-growing tourism sector.
Durgesh said the government, under the leadership of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, has formulated the Swarna Andhra Tourism Vision 2047 to transform the state into a world-class tourism destination. As part of this vision, the government is encouraging investments in amusement parks, theme parks, water parks and adventure zones.
He invited investors to establish mega amusement parks in Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati, stating that the three cities offer significant potential for large-scale entertainment infrastructure. While Amaravati offers scope for greenfield projects, Visakhapatnam is emerging as a global coastal tourism hub and Tirupati is being developed as a family entertainment destination.
Highlighting policy incentives, the minister said the state has granted industry status to tourism and introduced the Tourism Policy 2024–29. The policy offers up to 25 per cent fixed capital investment subsidy, electricity at industrial tariffs, reimbursement of electricity duty and 100 per cent net SGST reimbursement, along with employment-linked incentives.
Durgesh also said Andhra Pradesh has introduced the country’s first Tourism Land Allotment Policy 2025, which simplifies land allocation for hotels, resorts and theme parks. Projects with investments exceeding `50 crore will receive land allotment directly through the State Investment Promotion Board.
He said the state attracted investments worth `18,448 crore through 102 agreements in the tourism sector over the past year. Approvals have also been granted for the construction of 7,348 classified hotel rooms with investments of ₹9,446 crore.
The minister added that policies promoting caravan tourism, homestays and bed-and-breakfast units have already been introduced, while new policies for concerts, film tourism and MICE tourism will soon be launched.
Addressing investors, he said Andhra Pradesh offers strong infrastructure, including expanding airports, improved connectivity, a long coastline and a growing hospitality network. “Invest in Andhra Pradesh tourism — ensuring your confidence and support is the responsibility of our government,” he said.
IAAPI chairman Ankur Maheshwari said the amusement sector in India is growing at about 15 per cent annually and is expected to reach `25,000 crore by 2030. Currently, the country has around 300 amusement parks and 2,500 indoor entertainment centres, reflecting rising public interest in the sector.
Earlier, the minister inaugurated the expo, visited various stalls and interacted with industry representatives.
